| Peden
Home |
Hosea A. Peden |
Georgia Estella (Peden) Churchill | Wenona Billee (Churchill) Clark | Other
Pages |
Site Home |
|
|
|
|
Another researcher suggested that "Malbon" is a play on the two
French words "mal" and "bon". Especially since she advertised
herself as being of French descent.
I wrote an email to the webmaster of the "Ladies' Literary Club" web site and offered a scan of the photo.
| I have a photograph of an opera singer named "Janet Malbon" whose real name is Minnie Maxwell Lawing. Doing a Google search led to hits on the Ladies' Literary Club of Ozark. Apparently Minnie was a founding member of that club in 1910. I also found a "thank you" entry in the minutes of a 1928 meeting, but thanking Janet Malbon. I suspect that Janet Malbon is the stage name of Lawing. The photo is from a family collection. One of the family members was the manager of the Opera House in El Dorado Spring, MO and the note on the back indicates that Malbon performed there. If you have any interest in a scan of that photo, l'll be happy to send it to you. The family web site: http://www.silogic.com/peden/Georgia_Estella_Churchill.html#churchill Sincerely, Mark DiVecchio |
She wrote back.
| Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:12:33 -0500 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip  christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: Re: Janet Malbon To: Mark DiVecchio <markd silogic.com>Yes, we would love to have a copy. Thanks for discovering this interesting item. I see from the American Memory project of the Library of Congress that Janet Malbon traveled with the Hinshaw Light Opera Singers on the Chautauqua Circuit. http://memory.loc.gov search on "Malbon". I looked at your website. Nice job. |
| Mabel, I've attached three files with the photo of Janet Malbon. Its amazing the connections that the Internet lets us make. Mark |
| Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 01:32:46 -0500 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: [Fwd: Re: Janet Malbon] To: Wayne Glenn <whenwayne aol.com>,
markdsilogic.comMark, Talk about coincidences. 1) Mark had the photo of Minnie Maxwell Lawing, AKA Janet Malbon, traveling with Hinshaw Light Opera Singers on the Chautauqua Circuit and performing at the Opera House at an opera house in Eldorado Springs, Missouri managed by Mark's relative. 2) The University of Iowa's collection lent to the American Memory Collection of the Library of Congress mentions Janet Malbon with the Hinshaw Light Opera Singers. The name also appeared in an 1932 ad for Arcadia Playhouse, Arcadia, California where Janet Malbon was performing with the Tindle Brothers Here is an article from the Arcadia Tribune in March 1932:
Attraction at Local Theater
Many Fine Pictures Are Billed for the Playhouse During Coming Week Those who enjoy talkies have many treats before them this week and next at the Arcadia theater, for Miss Janet Malbon and the Tindle brothers, managers of the local playhouse, promise an excellent bill for each evening of the week. Edward G. Robinson in "The Hatchet Man" is one of the features for this evening and tomorrow night. Loretta Young, Dudley Digges and Tully Marshall are also in the cast. Critics who have seen the film state it is one of the best things seen for a long time, as it is an actual portrayal of life in Chinatown, San Francisco. Fox Movietone News will contribute to the general enjoyment, as will a Charlie Chase comedy. Future bookings into the Arcadia Theater include the following: "Passionate Plumber," with Buster Keaton; "Madelon Claudet," with Helen Hayes; "Fireman Save My Child," with Joe E. Brown; "Emma," with Marie Dressier; "Beau Hunks," with Laurel and Hardy; "Prestige," with Ann Harding; "The Champ," with Wallace Berry and Jackie Cooper. posted by ken mc on Oct 31, 2006 at 1:03pm 3) The transcriptions of the Ladies' Literary Club minutes on-line on the Transcribed Records website and picked up by a Goggle search, naming Minnie Maxwell Lawing as a founder of the society and later, in 1928 sending thanks to Janet Malbon, Charter member of the Ladies' Literary Club. 4) Then there's Wayne's occupation as a historian, especially photographs and music. I went back to pull Wayne's "Ozark of the Ozarks: a Photo History of Ozark and Vicinity" and it fell open to page 94, at the bottom of which was a picture of the Ozark School Faculty, the third person being Minnie Maxwell Lawing. 5) I walked back to the office, where the scan of the photo of Minnie Maxwell Lawing AKA Janet Malbon was just coming up on the e-mail. So, I got out my magnifying glass and looked at the two. She's certainly sterner and more dignified in the teacher's picture with her hair up and a "behave yourselves" expression on her face. But, it sure looks like it could be the same person. Same size, face shape, hair color. Thought the two of you would enjoy the list of coincidences. Wayne, I hope you can view the photo. |
| Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:16:25 -0500 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: Forever Young To: Wayne Glenn <whenwayne aol.com>,
markdsilogic.comI noticed "Janet Malbon" must have come not through El Dorado Springs, but one of the springs sought by Ponce De Leon. In 1920, the census says she was 26 years old, born in Illinois to a father born in Missouri and mother born in Kentucky and her occupation was Music. In 1929, when comes through the Panama Canal Zone enroute to California, she is 27. By the 1930 census, she is 28, born 1902 in Illinois to parents born in Spain, and she is an opera singer. Well, I've seen some whose livelihood is less dependant on youth aging less than 10 years in a decade. . . |
| From: Mark DiVecchio <markdsilogic.com> To: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>, Wayne Glenn
<whenwayneaol.com>Subject: Re: Forever Young Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:49:04 -0700 Mabel and Wayne, I went back and looked at the Who's Who in Music in California, published in 1920. She is listed on page 91 where it says she graduated from college in 1911. She was American born of French parentage. http://books.google.com/books Also, I found a photo of her on page 147. But from the scan of the book on the Internet, its hard to make out her facial features. I've attached as good of a copy as I could get. Mark |
| From: Mark DiVecchio <markdsilogic.com> To: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>, Wayne Glenn
<whenwayneaol.com>Subject: More on Janet Malbon Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:32:02 -0700 Dear Mabel and Wayne, I thought you might enjoy seeing the attached scans. I was going through the papers and letters left by Frank Churchill, the manager of the Opera House at El Dorado Springs, MO and I found this letter from Janet Malbon to Frank's wife, Stella. In it she references "My cousins there" so that might be the connection to the El Dorado Springs area. In it she also references another letter, of which only a fragment remains. That fragment is signed by Mrs. E.O. Lawing of Chicago. Enjoy, Mark |
 Letter to Stella Peden Churchill, wife of the manager of the opera house. Handwritten note in pencil in upper left probably written by Stella Churchill. |
 A "J" for Janet? |
 |
 |
 |
 Signed by Janet Malbon |
 Only a fragment of the letter referred to in the main letter remains. Signed by Mrs. E.O. Lawing. For some comments on this letter fragment, look at the second email below from Mabel Phillips. |
| Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:11:11 -0500 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: Re: More on Janet Malbon To: Mark DiVecchio <markd silogic.com>, Wayne Glenn <whenwayneaol.com>Just for the heck of it, I decided to see if there was an E. O. Lawing among the large Lawing family here. There was: Ernest O. Lawing was born March 1879 to John Osslan & Jennie (Nichols) Lawing. He was a grandson of Robert Preston & Margaret Brooks (McDaniel) Lawing. Then, I looked to see where he was. They were right here in Ozark in 1910:
1910 MO Christian Finley 156 Oz
Earnest O., Dr. LAWING M W Head 33 M/1 2 MO MO IL Dentist Minnie J. LAWING F W Wife 23 M/1 2 0-0 MO MO MO Music Teacher Her "youth pill" was more potent than anyone expected - age 23 in 1910, age 26 in 1920, age 28 in 1930 - reckon she reached 30 by 1940??? In 1920, he was living in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California in the home of his parents John O. & Jennie Lawing. He was a Dentist and listed as single (which might still have meant divorced). Jennie was born in Illinois to parents born in New York and Ohio He was living in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California in 1930 age 51 born Missouri with wife Ella age 31 Here is his California Death Index listing: Ernest O Lawing Birth: 10 Mar 1879 - Missouri Death: 5 Nov 1946 - Los Angeles I have no doubt at all that Minnie J. (Maxwell) Lawing was the wife of Dr. Ernest O. Lawing and became Janet Malbon, opera singer. With a possibly more realistic age, I started seeing if I could find who this woman might really be. Here are some possibilities: Minnie Maxwell
1900 Missouri Webster County Finley Township Household 217 - 218
Asa C Woodbeck 74 Henry Maxwell 35 boarder MO VA MO m 16 yrs Dora Maxwell 38 boarder IL IL IL m 16 yrs 1 - 1 Minnie Maxwell 15 boarder MO MO IL Parents here are likely Mandora Maxwell 11 Feb 1862 - 15 Oct 1930, daughter of William & Ellen (Wilhelm) Daniels and wife of H. L. Maxwell who died in Butler, Missouri and is buried under the name Dora Maxwell in Oak Hill, Bates County, Missouri and Henry Lee Maxwell 1 Mar 1865 - 30 May 1947, son of John & Elizabeth J. (Slusser) Maxwell who died in Butler, Missouri and is buried there. However, if this is Minnie J. (Maxwell) Lawing, there's yet another twist to the story - the informant on Henry's Death Certificate is Minnie Doran, Appleton City, Missouri. Sounds unlikely, but I suppose possible that someone who has been performing in California for twenty years would return to Missouri. Is there any known death record for Janet Malbon? I find no Missouri Death Index or Social Security Death Index for a Minnie Doran born in the 1880's. Still, there may be something in the fact the Henry Lee Maxwell's parents lived in Cedar County, Missouri. Henry's brothers and their children, his daughter Minnie's cousins, were in Cedar County in 1910. I don't know that this is a solution, but I have to say that if it is, Minnie J. (Maxwell) Lawing/Janet Malbon/Minnie Doran did more than just fanticize about her young age and exotic heritage - she totally reinvented herself at will! Descendants of John Maxwell Entries: 1141 Updated: Wed May 21 17:03:01 2003 Contact: Carroll Maxwell ID: I2517 Name: John Harmon MAXWELL
Sex: M
Birth: 15 MAR 1815 in Tazewell Co, VA Death: 17 MAY 1890 in Cedar Co, MO _FA1: MAY 1890 Cedar Co, MO Burial: Hall Cemetary, Jerico Springs, MO Reference Number: 958 1
Father: Robert MAXWELL b: 5 JUL 1786 in VA
Mother: Rebecca MAXWELL b: 31 MAY 1790 in Tazewell Co, VA Marriage 1 Elizabeth Jane SLUSSER b: 16 AUG 1822 in Va Married: 27 JAN 1842 in OH Children
Robert W. MAXWELL b: 26 JUN 1843 in Shelby Co, OH
James MAXWELL b: 14 AUG 1845 in Shelby Co, OH George Washington MAXWELL b: 6 APR 1850 in Shelby Co, OH Clarissa Matilda MAXWELL b: 21 JUL 1855 in Shelby Co, OH Henry Lee MAXWELL b: 1 MAR 1865 in Shelby Co, OH This is Henry's brother James Maxwell on 1910 Cedar County Census: James W Maxwell Age in 1910: 64
Estimated birth year: abt 1846
Birthplace: Ohio Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: West Virginia Mother's Birth Place: West Virginia Home in 1910: Benton, Cedar, Missouri Marital Status: Widowed Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age James W Maxwell 64 Ottis W Maxwell 32 Alice M Maxwell 32 Ora A Maxwell 12 Serenna d Maxwell 7 Here's his brother George: George W Maxwell Age in 1910: 61
Estimated birth year: abt 1849
Birthplace: Missouri Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Tennessee Mother's Birth Place: Virginia Spouse's name: Mary C Home in 1910: Benton, Cedar, Missouri Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age George W Maxwell 61 Mary C Maxwell 56 Louis B Maxwell 31 Nellie E Maxwell 18 Martha B Maxwell 16 And there were others in this family still in Cedar County |
I found this:
| California Death Index, 1940-1997 Name: Minnie Doran Social Security #: 506013120 Sex: FEMALE Birth Date: 17 Jul 1886 Birthplace: Missouri Death Date: 18 Jul 1970 Death Place: Nevada |
With the SSN, we can get her application and check her parents names. This has not been done yet.
| Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:26:14 -0500 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: Joseph Gravely Upton 11 Mar 1877 - 5 Jan 1921 I've been thinking about your partial letter. "Janet" speaks of a "Joe" who apparently did not appreciate her performance and who she should have known but did not recognize until she saw a picture of "his fat wife". She says she's enclosing a copy of a letter she wrote to this man. In it she says and "Mrs. Upton", leading me to suspect she was speaking of a Joe Upton. I ran a check to see if there was any Joe/Joseph Upton in Missouri on 1910 census. There were three, a father and son in Pettis County and a man in Swan Township on the south border of Christian County. Pettis County is two counties north and one county east of Cedar County. Not really very close to El Dorado. Still, one or the other of the Pettis County Joe Upton's could be the person mentioned. Here is a World Connect file on the family: Harkless family
Entries: 1816 Updated: 2006-11-11 20:11:02 UTC (Sat) Contact: Kyle Wear ID: I1075 Name: Joseph Upton Sex: M Birth: 1 DEC 1841 in Baxterley, Warwickshire Co., England Death: 19 FEB 1925 in Greenridge, Pettis Co., MO Burial: Greenridge Cemetary Christening: 20 FEB 1842 Baxterley, Warwickshire Co., England Emigration: BEF 1900 Moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico Father: William Upton b: BET 4 MAY AND 11 JUL 1812 in Yoxall, Staffordshire Co., England c: 12 JUL 1812 in Yoxall, Staffordshire Co., England Mother: Emma Hopkins b: 1810 in Upton, Leicestershire Co., England c: 10 DEC 1810 in St. Botolph, Sibson, Leicestershire Co., England Marriage 1 Sarah Ann Upton b: 1843 in Whitwick, Leicestershire Co., England c: 18 FEB 1844 in Coalville, Leicestershire Co., England Married: 1 FEB 1865 in Whitwick, Leicestershire Co., England Children William J. Upton b: NOV 1865 in Whitwick, Leicestershire Co., England Joseph Upton b: 17 DEC 1867 in Whitwick, Leicestershire Co., England Albert Upton b: SEP 1869 in Whitwick, Leicestershire Co., England Sarah Ann Upton b: 20 OCT 1875 in Washington Twp.., Pettis Co., Missouri Marriage 2 Margaret Ridenour Married: SEP 1877 in Pettis Co., Missouri This is the other 1910 Missouri Taney County Swan township
Joe G Upton 35 MO NY VA Virge Upton 32 wife Geneva Upton 3/12 daughter Maynard Upton 19 MO NY VA Again, from the 1900 census, this appears to be a Joe, son of Joe Upton. In 1900, they WERE close to Cedar County: 1900 Missouri; Polk County: Bolivar
Joseph B Upton 50 Nannie M Upton 49 Mattie E Upton 26 Joseph G Upton 23 George M Upton 21 Earnest D Upton 19 Jessie B Upton 15 Eugene V Upton 12 Maynard Upton 9 A Joanny Drinnen 32 The brother appears to have been counted in the 1910 census in both his brother and mother's households: Maynard Upton 1910 Kansas Allen County Iola Ward 3
Nannie M Upton 58 VA Eugene V Upton 22 Maynard Upton 19 MO NY VA 1880 Missouri Polk County Bolivar Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace Joseph B. UPTON Self M Male W 31 NY Lawyer ENG ENG Nannie UPTON Wife M Female W 29 VA Keeping House VA VA Mattie UPTON Dau S Female W 6 MO NY VA Joseph G. UPTON Son S Male W 3 MO NY VA George Mark UPTON Son S Male W 1 MO NY VA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source Information: Census Place Marion, Polk, Missouri Family History Library Film 1254710 NA Film Number T9-0710 Page Number 311D Joseph Gravely Upton 11 Mar 1877 - 5 Jan 1921, born in Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri to Joseph B. & Nannie Marshall (Gravely) Upton. He lived in and was a Publisher in El Dorado, Springs, Missouri when he killed himself by hanging in 1921, all according to his death certificate. His father was born in Westchester County, New York, and his mother in Virginia. His wife was Virgie. He was buried in Bolivar, and the informant on his death certificate was Eugene V. Upton, listed as his brother. Want to bet that this is the man referred to in the letter? I wonder if he gave an unfavorable review of Janet's performance. 1920 Missouri Cedar County Eldorado Springs Ward 2
Birth Year Birthplace Race Relation Joe G Upton abt 1878 Missouri White Head Virge Upton abt 1881 Missouri White Wife Geneva Upton abt 1906 Missouri White Daughter Virginia Upton abt 1914 Missouri White Daughter This from the Cedar County GenWeb is a long obituary of Joseph Gravely Upton's grandmother, Martha Jane (Marshall) Gravely who died two years after Joseph's suicide. This would probably be an interesting link for your page regardless, but the fact that Martha's husband, Joseph Jackson Gravely, was a Colonel in the Civil War and a Missouri Senator who had just been elected the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri when he died in 1872 makes it especially interesting. It lists all twenty-four of her living grandchildren and their residences and all thirty of her great granchildren, including Joseph Gravely Upton's daughters Virginia and Geneva who were still living in Eldorado Springs. http://www.mogenweb.org/cedar/marshall_gravely.htm Did your picture found in the attic ever just keep giving up its secrets??? World Connect File of pifox earthlink.netID: I128530
Name: Joseph Jackson GRAVELY Sex: M Birth: 25 SEP 1828 in Henry county, Virginia Death: 1882 in Missouri Burial: Lindley Prairie Cemetery Reference Number: 128530 Father: Lewis GRAVELY b: 1795 in Henry Co., Virginia Mother: Rachel Martha Patsy DYER b: BET 1797 AND 1876 in Henry Co., Virginia Marriage 1 Martha Jane MARSHALL b: 12 SEP 1833 in Henry county, Virginia Married: 23 JUN 1850 in VA Children Nanny M GRAVELY Lewis S. GRAVELY Pattie D. GRAVELY Eleanor C GRAVELY Benjamin F. GRAVELY Joseph W. GRAVELY Minnie L GRAVELY Lutie J. GRAVELY Thanks for the fun digression. It's been very hectic here, and it's entertaining to have a puzzle that just keeps unraveling where ever you pull at it. |
In Jan of 2009, Mabel wrote me with an update to her research line:
| Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:51:33 -0600 From: Mabel Phillips <mphillip christiancounty.lib.mo.us>Subject: Minnie (Maxwell) Lawing/Wix Doran/Janet Malbon? Boy, every time we get close to the truth on Minnie (Maxwell) Lawing Wix Doran AKA Janet Malbon, we discover there are new twists. Looks like I misidentified the parents of Minnie (Maxwell) Lawing and that Minnie (Maxwell) Wix married a Doran. Thanks Shirley for not including the later life info in the article. Sorry, Mark, that I made an assumption now proven false on the identity of the parents of Minnie (Maxwell) Lawing/Janet Malbon. I wrote to the Doris Foley Library for Historical Research, a branch of the Nevada County Library, 211 N Pine, Nevada City CA 95959 to ask for an obit for Minnie Doran and discovered yet another story - enough evidence to tell me something is really wrong with my conclusion that the Minnie Maxwell living near Ozark before the marriage of a Minnie Maxwell of the same age to Ernest Lawing was the same person. This is Minnie (Maxwell) Wix Doran's obituary: The Union Monday, July 20, 1970 p5 Mrs. Minnie Doran dies Mrs. Minnie Doran, 84, who has made her home with her son Henry Wix of Chicago Park for the past four years, died Saturday at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital. Mrs Doran was a native of Missouri. Funeral services and burial will be held at Butler, MO. Hooper and Weaver Mortuary handled local arrangements. So I started over again: Janet Malbon and Minnie Wix appeared with vastly different personal information in two different states in 1920 census despite earlier evidence was that they were the same person. Again in 1910 and 1930, two different people in different places appear with different information. Now, I really question who on earth the Minnie Maxwell who married Ernest Lawing then became Janet Malbon REALLY is, though I remain thoroughly convinced that the Minnie Maxwell Lawing who helped found the Ladies' Literary Club and the Janet Malbon, opera singer whom the Ladies' Literary Club honored as a charter member when she visited Springfield are the same person. 1920 MO Bates County, Pleasant Gap, Household 41/42 Maxwell, Henry L. mw 54 m Head MO VA VA farmer general farm , Dora wf 57 m wife IL PA IL Wix, Minnie mf w daughter MO MO IL , Henry E. wm s grandson 10 MO MO MO , Joseph W. wm s grandson 7 CO MO MO 1920 Long Beach Los Angeles Janet Malbon age 26, opera singer IL OH KY 1900 Missouri Webster County Finley Township Household 217 - 218 Asa C Woodbeck 74 Henry Maxwell 35 boarder MO VA MO m 16 yrs Dora Maxwell 38 boarder IL IL IL m 16 yrs 1 - 1 Minnie Maxwell 15 boarder MO MO IL 1910 MO Christian Finley 156 Oz Earnest O., Dr. LAWING M W Head 33 M/1 2 MO MO IL Dentist Minnie J. LAWING F W Wife 23 M/1 2 0-0 MO MO MO Music Teacher 1910 MO Bates County Pleasant Gap #77-86 Maxwell, Henry L.wm 45 m 26 , Dora 1910 MO Bates County Pleasant Gap #76-87 Wix, Seth wm head m 2 MO TN IL , Minnie wf wife m 2 1-1 MO MO IL , H. Eldred wm son s 1 1/2 MO MO MO 1930 MO Bates County Pleasant Gap Wix, Minnie wf Head w 43 married at age 21 MO US IL farmer general farm , Warden wm s Son 18 MO MO MO Henry Wix showed up in the city directory Chicago Park area of Grass Valley, California from the 1960's to 1979. His name does not appear in the Nevada County obituary index which runs up the current entries. A Henry Wix who may or may not be the same person was listed in the Santa Rosa, California telephone book from 1997 through 2002. Obviously women born about 1886 and named Minnie Maxwell married in 1908 in Missouri men named Seth Wix and Ernest Lawing . So, I checked World Connect and found this: Schumacher/Porter/Scott/Meador/Brennaman/Mickey/Van Fossen Entries: 14402 Updated: 2008-05-15 05:45:22 UTC (Thu) Contact: Debra Schumacher dschuma407 aol.com-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ID: I657586665 Name: Seth WIX Given Name: Seth Surname: WIX Sex: M Birth: 25 DEC 1883 in MO Death: 15 Dec 1918 in MO Census: 1910 Pleasant Gap, Bates Co., MO Burial: Myers Cemetery, Bates Co., MO Father: Joseph WIX b: 15 JUN 1820 in TN Mother: Rosannah DEWEESE b: 23 NOV 1844 in MO Marriage 1 Minnie MAXWELL b: ABT 1887 in MO Married: ABT 1908 in MO Children Henry E. WIX b: ABT 1910 in Bates Co., MO Joseph Warden WIX b: 4 APR 1912 in Bates Co., MO Seth's death certificate says he is married but leaves name of wife blank. He died (like millions of others in that couple of years) of pneumonia following the flu. I don't find Joseph or Eldred Wix born about 1909 or 1910 or Joseph, Warden or Ward Wix born 1912 on SSDI nor Missouri Death Certificates. Parents of Minnie (Maxwell) Wix Doren were are Mandora Maxwell 11 Feb 1862 - 15 Oct 1930, daughter of William & Ellen (Wilhelm) Daniels and wife of H. L. Maxwell who died in Butler, Missouri and is buried under the name Dora Maxwell in Oak Hill, Bates County, Missouri and Henry Lee Maxwell 1 Mar 1865 - 30 May 1947, son of John & Elizabeth J. (Slusser) Maxwell who died in Butler, Missouri and is buried there. I had THOUGHT they were parents of Minnie (Maxwell) Lawing/Janet Malbon. I found a 1900 Finley Township, Webster County, Missouri census listing 15 year old Minnie Maxwell as a daughter of Henry and Dora Maxwell, born in Missouri of a father born in Missouri and mother born in Illinois; a 1910 census in Ozark of Dr. Ernest O. Lawing and wife, Minnie, age 23, born in Missouri of parents both born in Missouri; a 1920 Long Beach Los Angeles census of Janet Malbon age 26, opera singer, born in Illinois to parents born in Ohio and Kentucky; a 1929 Panama Canal crossing of Janet Malbon, age 27, opera singer, address Los Angeles, born in Illinois to parents born in France; a 1930 Los Angeles census of Janet Malbon, age 28, opera singer, born in Illinois to parents born in Spain; Missouri death certificates for Mandora (Daniels) Maxwell of Butler, Bates County, Missouri 11 Feb 1862 - 15 Oct 1930, wife of Henry Lee Maxwell and of Henry Lee Maxwell of Butler, Bates County, Missouri 1 Mar 1865 - 30 May 1947. The informant on the later was Minnie Doran of Appleton City, Missouri. I also found that Henry Lee Maxwell's parents were buried in Cedar County, Missouri and two of his brothers' families were there at least through 1910, shortly before Minnie/Janet referred to "cousins living near Eldorado Springs" in letters to Stella Churchill. So, if Minnie Maxwell Lawing isn't the obvious person who is she? This is the only close candidate on 1900 Missouri census 1900 MO Cedar County Stockton
George W Maxwell 51 Mary C Maxwell 47 Luly B Maxwell 21 Thomas O Maxwell 19 Minnie Maxwell 13 William H Maxwell 10 Nellie E Maxwell 8 Martha Maxwell 6 George W. Maxwell 15 Feb 1849 - 25 Mar 1923 # Name: George Washington Maxwell
# Sex: M # Birth: 15 FEB 1849 in Bolivar, Polk Co., Missouri # Death: 25 MAR 1923 in Eldorado Springs, Missouri Marriage 1 Mary Charlotte Rookwood b: 18 SEP 1853 in Shelby Co., Missouri * Married: 14 MAR 1875 in Cedar Co., Missouri Children 1. Nora Dell Maxwell b: 20 FEB 1876 2. Louie Bell Maxwell b: 20 MAY 1878 3. Tommy Orion Maxwell b: 14 JUL 1880 4. Minnie Jane Maxwell b: 4 OCT 1886 5. William Hedgeman Maxwell b: 21 AUG 1889 6. Nellie Ellinor Maxwell b: 25 OCT 1891 7. Martha Bethelda Maxwell b: 22 FEB 1894 Nothing that says for sure this is the right Minnie Maxwell, but the age, name, middle initial and location seem appropriate. George's death certificate says he is the son of Henry & Martha (Tatum) Maxwell. Don't know if he is kin to the other's Minnie's father Henry Maxwell. |
| Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 09:45:40 -0500 From: "Shirley Stewart" <sjstewart2 gmail.com>To: markd@silogic.com Subject: Malbon Research Mr. DiVecchio, My friend, Mabel Phillips, e-mailed your research on Janet Malbon to me. The editor of the Ozarks Mountaineer called and asked me to do a story on Minnie/Janet, and I need to include your research, (you would get credit, of course), as well as Mabel's and my own. I do hope this is alright. Minnie was so influential in Ozark before she left that there should be a good deal of interest in this area. Best Regards, Shirley Stewart |
| Dear Shirley, Yes, you may use my research and photos in your story but Mabel was the one who really did the hard genealogy digging. I have high resolution TIF scans of the photos and documents if you should want them for publication. I only ask that you mention my web page and say something about the family of Frank Churchill and his wife Stella Peden Churchill. Frank was the manager of the El Dorado Springs, MO Opera House about 1915 and it was he and his wife who had the foresight (or maybe it was some obsession) to save all these old photos and old letters. Mark |
| Dear Mark, Many thanks for your permission. Yes please, I would like the high resolution TIF scans. The Churchills will be included in the story and your Wed Site will be mentioned. Again, thanks for use of your research and your kind permission. Shirley |
| Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 15:41:01 -0600 From: "Shirley Stewart" <sjstewart2@gmail.com> Subject: Minnie Lawing Mark, The Minnie Lawing article was published in the latest issue of the "Mountaineer". Mostly it turned out very well, I think. Unfortunately the editor left off your web address, which I'd included. I have no idea why. I apologize for that. He also added a bit about the mal-bon double entendre, which I'd failed to recognize. He inserted the term "jilted", a word that I mildly dislike but he seemed to think it fit. I will send a copy of the article later this month. Thanks again and Happy New Year. Shirley |
| Shirley, Great to hear the article got published. Don't worry too much about the missing web address, if anyone goes to Google and does a search, my web site comes up first in the list. I'd like a copy of the article. I wonder if Minnie really did chose Janet Malbon because of "mal-bon" (she supposedly was of French descent)? Again, congratulations on getting the article published. It will go some way to preserving Minnie's legacy. Mark |
| Here is the article by Shirley from the 2009 Jan/Feb issue of "The Ozarks Mountaineer". Click below for the article as a PDF file: |
2012 Update| 1920 census, San Francisco, CA Janet Malbon, 26y, single, born IL, parents born MO and KY, Music teacher, lodger at the house of Henry J. Menegawl. |
||||||||||||||||
 1920 Janet Malbon, Crocker-Langley San Francisco City Directory, CA
|
||||||||||||||||
| 1923 San Francisco arrival from Honolulu Janet Bigelow, 34y, born Springfield, MO 4 Oct 1888 Fred N. Bigelow, 34y, born San Francisco, CA 17 Dec 1888 |
||||||||||||||||
| 1930 census, San Francisco, CA Fred M. Bigelow 42y, married at 31y, 225 Hazelwood Ave. Janet M. Bigelow 36y, married at 25y, born MO, parents born IN and VA, occupation: Singer, Music Teacher James Bigelow 9y. |
||||||||||||||||
 1931 Janet Malbon, Pasadena City Directory, CA |
||||||||||||||||
 20 May 1932 Arcadia Tribune, Arcadia, CA |
||||||||||||||||
 1933 Janet Malbon, San Diego City Directory, CA |
||||||||||||||||
 1953 Janet Bigelow, Burbank City Directory, CA
|
||||||||||||||||
|
hotmail.com> and his brother, Davin <davineallisonyahoo.com>. They are working on the renovation of the Opera House.email : markd@silogic.com
Peden HOME
DiVecchio
HOME
Frazzini
HOME
Site
HOME
This site will be under construction for a while.
